AN ENGLISHWOMAN IN INDIA 287 The Rani and Venjamutta were friendly, but told him he must take his own vengeance on the Nair2 for their inhuman action. So he commenced a series of raids into the surrounding country, which reduced it to some sort of subjection. Soon there came an order for most of his men to be sent back to Bombay, where warlike measures against Angria were on foot. A cessation of arms was patched up, and Midford installed himself as chief, He proved to be no honester than his pre- decessors. He monopolized the pepper trade on his own private account, making himself advances out of the Company's treasury. In less than a year he was dead, but before his death Alexander Orme,* then a private merchant on the coast, was sent to Anjengo as chief of the factory, at the special request of the Eani. Before long, Orme had to report to the Council that there were due to the Company, from GyfforcTs estate, 559,421 fanams, and that 140,260 gold fanams had disappeared during Midford's chief- ship which could not be accounted for. Mid- ford had also drawn pay for twenty European * The father of Robert Orme, the historian, who was born at Anjengo.